The Tennessee basketball season has been defined by playing a tough, gritty style of basketball while being led by its stars. While Nate Ament has been the guy as of late, the most consistent force for Tennessee has been Belmont and Maryland Transfer point guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie. His veteran presence and ability to give Tennessee a versatile scoring threat have paid dividends all season long. Filling in for Zakai Zeigler was always going to be a tough task, but Gillespie has filled in very well for Rick Barnes.
Through 24 games this season, Gillespie has had a stellar year. He’s averaging a career-high 18.5 points and 5.3 assists per game. He’s also contributing on the defensive end, adding 1.6 steals per game for Barnes, proving he’s far more than just a one-trick pony.
The analytics have taken notice of how well Gillespie has played this year. Evan Miya, one of the most respected analytic guys in college basketball, has Gillespie ranked as the No. 5 point guard in the nation according to his model.
POINT GUARD RANKINGS
— Evan Miyakawa (@EvanMiya) February 12, 2026
Here are the best rated PGs in the country according to Bayesian Performance Rating at https://t.co/cegyfz8ykZ, which measures overall player value.
The 10th best PG this year would have been ranked 4th last year. That's how loaded this year's crop is 👇 pic.twitter.com/byGuBNRbIK
Gillespie comes in ahead of plenty of the top point guards in the nation. Keaton Wagler of Illinois is a projected top-10 pick in the NBA Draft, Bennet Stritz has carried Iowa all season, and Labarion Phillon and Aden Holloway have made Alabama a contender this year. Plus, Darius Acuff Jr. is competing with Ament for SEC Freshman of the Year. Being ranked ahead of stars like this is no small feat. Gillepsie is a proven top college basketball player regardless of position.
Ja'Kobi Gillepie is a top five PG in America
When March comes around, the teams that make the deepest runs always have one thing in common: an elite point guard running the show. If Tennessee wants to make a Final Four, it will have to be on the back of Gillespie. Not only will he have to be a scorer for the Vols, but he will also need to drive the offense with smart passing and playmaking.
This Tennessee team isn’t perfect, but when they’re clicking, they’re one of the best in the country. Rick Barnes knows it, and it all starts and ends with Gillespie.